Agents help recover two drowning victims from the Rio Grande

Release Date:

July 21, 2017

EDINBURG, Texas – On Tuesday morning, U.S. Border Patrol riverine agents working near Brownsville, Texas recovered a drowning victim from the Rio Grande.

At approximately 10:00 a.m., Brownsville riverine agents patrolling the river observed a person in the water south of Fort Brown Golf Course who appeared to be deceased. Agents notified dispatch who called Brownsville Fire and Rescue. In a collaborative effort, the subject was pulled from the water and pronounced deceased by the local Justice of the Peace.

Later that day, riverine agents working near the Hidalgo Port of Entry apprehended a group of illegal aliens who had just crossed the river. As agents collected information, one of the subjects told agents that he had seen a deceased person in the river earlier. Agents relayed the location and began searching the area with the help of an Air and Marine Operations helicopter. A short time later, agents were advised that the Mexican authorities had recovered a deceased subject on the Mexico side of the river near their location.

The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and to help save lives by reporting suspicious activity at 800-863-9382.

Please visit www.cbp.gov to view additional news releases and other information pertaining to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.